Democrat tax increases stall debt limit talks

The Hill:

House majority leader says Obama must "resolve the tax issue" in talks to raise debt ceiling.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) is pulling out of bipartisan deficit talks led by Vice President Biden because of Democratic insistence on including tax increases in a deal.

In a statement, Cantor called on President Obama to “resolve the tax issue," and said he would not take part in a meeting of the group on Thursday.

“Regardless of the progress that has been made, the tax issue must be resolved before discussions can continue," Cantor said. "Given this impasse, I will not be participating in today's meeting and I believe it is time for the president to speak clearly and resolve the tax issue,” he said.

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There is no upside to a GOP vote for a tax increase. It would be seen as a betrayal by Republican voters, and Democrats have a history of not living up to promised cuts in exchange for tax increases. If Democrats choose to shut down the debt ceiling over insistence on a tax increase, that is something that voters will have to take into account.